CUPW requests meeting with Minister Judy Foote

BY MAIL AND EMAIL

November 9, 2015

Judy Foote
Minister of Public Services and Procurement
11 Laurier Street
Phase 111, Place du Portage
Gatineau, QC
K1A 0S5

Dear Ms. Foote:

I am writing to congratulate you on your election and appointment as Minister of Public Services and Procurement. I would also like to thank you and the Liberal Party for committing to stop the home mail delivery cuts and undertake a review of Canada Post.

As public services minister, you will have responsibility for Canada Post and carrying out the government’s commitments relating to the delivery cuts and review.

While CUPW is pleased that the delivery cuts have been “temporarily” suspended, the union would like to see a “permanent” halt. We would also like Canada Post to restore delivery to people who have lost it since the cuts were announced in 2013.

CUPW looks forward to discussing these matters in the context of your review of Canada Post and we are pleased that Prime Minister Trudeau has indicated that the party wants to “sit down and actually consult with Canadians about what they want” from their public postal service (Source: Justin Trudeau, CBC Radio’s The House, June 20, 2015).

We believe, and we hope you agree, that we need a public review of Canada Post, not just a review of the corporation’s business plan. Only a public review would allow us to find out what Canadians want. It would also allow us to have much needed discussions on the future and our options for building a successful 21^st century post office that meets the needs of Canadians and creates new revenue streams, such as postal banking.

CUPW would urge you to hold off on taking measures in relation to Canada Post, other than stopping the home mail delivery cuts, until you have had an opportunity to conduct a full public review, including a review of the Canadian Postal Service Charter. 

I have, for your information, attached a letter that I sent to the Prime Minister on this subject, which includes a request for a meeting with you. CUPW would like to meet, at your earliest convenience, to introduce ourselves, update you on postal banking and discuss your plans for a review of our public postal service.

We look forward to meeting you and wish you all the best in your new job.

Yours truly,

Mike Palecek
National President
Canadian Union of Postal Workers

c.c.       National Executive Committee, Regional Executive Committees, National Union Representatives, Regional Union Representatives, Specialists, Save Canada Post Campaign Co-ordinators